Refrigerator



2 Sheets-Shet 1.

(No Model.)

J. GOODALE.` REPRIGERATOR.

No. 337,394. Patented Mar. 9, 1886.

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NVENTUR nw 2 Shets-Sheet 2. J. GOODALE.

RBFRIGBRATOR.

(No Model.)

Patented 'IVI-ar. 9, 1886.

N. PEYEHS, Pholo-Lnhogsjapher, washington'. D. C.

VUNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

JOHN GOODALE, OE CAMBRIDGE, ASSIGNOR To JAYV B. OBAWEOBD, TRUSTEE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

REFRIGERATOR.

SPECIF'CTION forming part of Letters Patent No. 337,394, dated March 9, 1886.

Application filed June 23, 1885. Serial No. 169,499.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN GOODALE, of Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Refrigerators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is based upon the discovery made by me that if the walls of the storagechamber of a refrigerator be surrounded by a vacuum or a space from which the air is partially or mainly exhausted, the air in the storage-chamber will be deprived yof its latent heat by the action of the surrounding vacuum, and a low temperature will be maintained within the storage-chamber.

The invention consists in a refrigerator having its storage-chamber surrounded by a vacant chamber or space from which the'air is exhausted. Said chamber may have a conduit or vent for the escape of the caloric evolved from the air therein by the action of the surrounding vacuum.

The invention also consists in the provision of an air-pump, attached to the casing of the refrigerator,whereby the air may be exhausted from the vacuum-chamber whenevernecessary.

The invention also consists in a series of rotary shelves in the storage-chamber, and the means employed for adjusting Said shelves, all of which I will now proceed to describe.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this Specification, Figure l represents a side elevation of a refrigerator embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 represents a horizontal section. Fig. 4 represents a similar section showing a modification. Fig. 4 represents a detail view of one of the shelves and its supports.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In the drawings, a represents the storagechamber of my improved refrigerator, which is preferably made of. sheet metal, and b represents an inclosing-chamber entirely surrounding the storage-chamber, excepting at the place for the entrance c. The inclosing` chamber is also of sheet metal, and both it and the storage-chamber are preferably made with crowning or externally-convex surfaces at all (No model.)

points to enable them the better to resist the atmospheric pressure to which they are subjected when the air between them is exhausted. The chamber or space e between the storagecharnber and the incloSing-chamber isl airtight, and constitutes what I term a vacuumchamber.7 It is provided with a pipe, f, through which. the air may be exhausted, said pipe having atightly-itting valve or cock, f', which hermetic-ally closes the pipe when the 6o vacuum is to be maintained. An air-pump, g, is connected to the pipe f for the purpose of exhausting the air from the vacuum-cham ber. Said pump may be permanently attached to thepipef and to the casing t' of the refrig- 6',

erator, as shown, or it may be removed after the air has been exhausted.

In the present instance I have shown a crankshaft, j, journaled in bearings on the casing t', and a connecting rod, k, as the means of operating the piston of the air-pump. When the air is exhausted entirely, as may be from the chamber e, the vacuum thus formed acts to deprive the air in the storage-chamber of its caloric; but I have found that the practical reduction in the temperature of the air in all parts of the storage-chamber is made more rapid when a connection is established between the upper portion of the storage chamber and the outside air for the escape, as I be- 8O lieve, of the caloric set free from the air in the storage-chamber by the action of the vacuum.

I therefore extend a small tube or conductor, Z, from the upper portion of the storagechamber to the exterior of the casing, and I find that with this connection a temperature ofl 40 can be continuously maintained in the storagechamber by the action of the vacuum-chamber alone, no ice nor chemical refrigerant being used. I prefer to introduce a smaller tube, m, into the bottom of the storagechamber to admit a Small quant-ity of air to the lower portion thereof. The pipes Z and m Should be so small, however, that the quantity of air allowed by them t0 escape and enter will be suicient only 95 to prevent Stagnation and maintain a gentle circulation, and not so great as to neutralize the effect of the surrounding vacuum. Access to the storage-ohamber is had through an opening, c, extending from the casing b to the cham- ICO ber a. Outside of this opening is the door r of the casing, which fits closely against the outer surface of the chamber c, as shown in Fig. 3. The opening c may have a door, which is made hollow, and from which the air may be exhausted. Instead of making a single vacuum-chamber of annular form, I may employ a series of pipes, e', as shown in Fig. 4. Said pipes, which constitute small vacuumchambers, are arranged around the storagecha1nbcr,and are separated from the latter by an open-work partition or casing, which will prevent injury to the pipes by articles placed in the storage-chamber, and will permit the circulation of air between the storagechainber and the space surrounding the pipes e. Said pipes may be arranged in one or more rows, and are placed close to but not in contact with each other, so that they present a large area of coolingsnrface. They are suitably connected, so that they may all be exhausted by a single air-punip. The pipes may be arranged in circular, rectangular, or any other desired order. A rotary frame com posed of two ends or spiders, ss, and uprights t t is placed in the storagechamber, and supports a series of shelves, c c, the uprights being provided with notches t on their inner sides, with which engage sliding catches u on the shelves, so that the shelves can be placed at any desired height and distance apart. The Spiders s s are journaled on the airpipes m, or any suitable bearings that may be substituted for said pipes, so that the frame and shelves may be freely rotated. Any other suitable arrangement of shelves may be employed, however, instead of that above described.

The space between the outer chamber and the casing t' may contain only air, or may be filled with a suitable non-conductor of heat.

A vacuum-gage, c, may be employed to indicate the condition of the chamber e.

propose to use the vacuunrchamber for the purpose of cooling water, and to this end I provide a pipe, p, passing spirally through the chambere, and terminating in a faucet outside of the casing. The water, iowing through the portion of the pipe within the chamber e, becomes cooled by the vacuum.

A water-cooler may be made on this princi' ple without the storagechamber.

and the external air, as set forth.

4. A refrigerator having a vacuum-chamber surrounding the storage-chamber and entirely independent thereof, and connections between the lower portions of the storage-chamber and the external air, as set forth.

5. A refrigerator having a vacuum-chamber surrounding the storage-chamber and entirely independentthereof, and an air-pump connected with the vacuunrchamber, as set forth.

6. A refrigerator having a series of vacuum tubes or pipes arranged, as described, with relation to the storagechamber and entirely independent of said chamber, as set forth.

7. A refrigerator having a rotary frame composed of a series of uprights. t, and ends` s s, provided with a series of shelves located between said uprights, as set forth.

8. A refrigerator having a rotary frame with notched uprights and a series of shelves placed between and adj ustably secured to said uprights, as set forth.

9. A vacunm-chamber Vcontaining alpipeV adapted to conduct water through said chamber, as set forth.

10. In a refrigerator, the combination .of a

series of vacuu m tubes or pipes and a storagechamber, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed `my naine to this specification, in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses, this 20th day of4 June, 1885. l p

JOHNv GOODALE.

Witnesses:

J. B. CRAWFORD, C. F. BaowN. 

